Suspension device for trolley-conductors.



Rm 0 9 l L 3 T U 0 D E T N E T Y E N R A V T & S I V A D R R am 1 3 0 8 0 N v SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLBY OONDUCTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1905.

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No. 803,216. PATENTED 0013.31, 1905.- H. P. DAVIS &, T. VARNEY. SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TROLLEY CONDUGTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17. 1905.

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WITNESSES.

\ ATONEY "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY P. DAVIS AND THEODORE VARNEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYL VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 8: MANUFACTUR- IN-G COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TFlOLLEY-CONDLQCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY P. DAvrs and THEODORE VARNEY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Suspension Devices for Trolley-Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electric railways, and particularly to means for suspending the trolley-conductors which are utilized for conducting current along such railways.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple, easily-applied, and substantial means for suspending a trolley-conductor from a air of messenger wires or cables.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of one of our suspension devices, the trolley-conductor and messengercables being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the clamps for attaching the suspension device to a messenger-cable, one clamping-nut and the corresponding lock-nut being removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a trolley-conductor and the corresponding clamp of one of the suspension devices. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a modified form of messenger-cable clamp, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a section of line construction which embodies our invention.

It is essential to satisfactory operation of electrically-propelled vehicles at high speeds that the trolley-conductor shall be securely supported at an approximately uniform elevation above the tracks and in such manner that it may be free from material lateral vibration. and displacement. A desirable means for properlysupporting the trolleyconductor under such conditions of service embodies a messenger wire or cable which hangs between poles located at suitable intervals along the roadway in catenary curves and from which the trolley-conductor is suspended at a suitable elevation by means of angers which differ in length in accordance with the points along the catenary curve of the (ilnessengencable at which they are locate In order to provide a stronger and more stable means of suspension than is possible by theemployment of the devices heretofore used, we propose to utilize two messengercables disposed side by side and so connected with each other and with the trolley-conductor as to provide a triangular framework which is stable and rigid to a degree not possible with a single messenger-cable unless special steadying devices are employed and even more substantial and desirable in certain respects than is any single messengercable scheme of suspension which has heretofore been employed.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, the messenger wires or cables 1, which will be hereinafter referred to as eables, with the understanding that such references are not to be considered as excluding employment of wires whenever such are desired, may be supported by means of either bracket-arms or span-wires from suitable poles or towers (not shown) that are located at suitable intervals along the roadway in accordance with the usual-or any proper engineering practice. The trolley-conductor 2 is preferably provided with longitudinal grooves 3, one at each side, and is suspended from both messengercables 1 by means of a series of triangular frames 4. Each frame 4 comprises parts which will be hereinafter enumerated and described, but which may be reduced in number or modified in form from what is shown without departing from our invention. Two clamping plates or blocks 5, which may be alike, are severally provided at their lower edges with hooks or claws 6 to engage the grooves 3 in the trolleyconductor and at their upper edges are severally provided with semicylindrical recesses 7, which are of substantially L shape and one end of each of which is located in a projection 8 at the upper edge of the clampplate. This projection is located nearer to one end than the other of the plate, so that when the plates are clamped together the projections will be displaced laterally with reference to each other, as indicated in Fig 3. Two inclined supporting-rods 9 have their lower ends bent substantially at right angles to their body portions, so as to fit within the respective recesses 7 and be clamped securely therein by means of suitable clampingthe plates 5, it would be within the scope of our invention to make rods of different form in cross-section and also to make them integral parts of the respective plates 5, if such construction were found desirable. The rods 9 diverge from the clamping-plates 5 at a suitable angle and at their upper ends respectively project through relatively large holes 11 in double clamps 12, each clamp comprising two blocks or plates 13, which are severally provided with semicylindrical recesses 14 to receive the messenger-cable 1 and are also recessed to receive a hook 15, that is formed on the end of a span-rod 16 and surrounds the rod 9' within the clamp 12. The two parts 13 of the clamp are securely fastened together around the messengercable and around the span-rod 16 by means of bolts 17 and nuts 18.

It will be understood that the messengercables 1 hang from their supports in catenary curves, and consequently that the hangers 4 must be of different lengths in order to properly suspend the trolley-conductor at a sub stantially uniform height. Since the angles between the messenger-cables and the trolley-conductor vary from zero, at the lowest point of the catenary curve to a maximum at the highest points, it is desirable that the hangers 4 should have an adjustable connection with the cables in order that they may be disposed in substantially vertical planes without distorting the cables. In order to permit of automatic adjustment of the hangers, the holes 11 in the clamping-blocks 13 are made of materially greater diameter than the rods 9, and the outer faces of the blocks are provided with curved surfaces 19, with which nuts 20 on the rods 9 engage. It will be understood that the curved surfaces 19 may be formed by comparatively narrow projections, as indicated, or that all or an desired portion of the outer face of eac clamping-block may be curved. It will be also understood that the curvature may be that of a cylinder or of a sphere-segment, as may be desired.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown a modification in which the clamp 21 for attaching the hanger 4 to each messenger-cable 1 comprises two angular blocks 22 and 23, having recesses intermediate theirends for the cable and having holes in said ends for the tie-rod 24 and for the hanger-rod 9. 'lhe holes through which the rods 9 and 24 project are of such size as to permit the rods to move laterally therein, and the outer faces of the blocks have convex curved surfaces 25,which are engaged, respectively, by nuts 26 on the rod 9 and by nuts 27 on the rod 24.

Other modifications and variations from what we have specifically shown and described may of course be made within the scope of our invention.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that when a series of the abovedescribed hangers are combined with a pair of messenger-cables there is little, if any, possibility of lateral vibration or dis lacement of the trolley-conductor and as litt e liability for a breakdown of the structure as a whole.

We claim as our invention 1. A support for trolley-conductors comprising two messenger-cables and a triangular frame provided with means for clamping the same to said cables and to the trolleyconductor.

2. A supporting device for trolley-conductors comprising two messenger-cables and a triangular frame consisting of two suspension-rods, a span-rod, a two-part clamp for fastening the lower ends of the suspensionrods to the trolley-conductor and two-part clamps for fastening the upper ends of the suspension-rods and the ends of the span-rod to the messenger-cables.

3. In a supporting structure for trolleyconductors, a triangular frame comprising three rods and three clamps, one for fastening the frame to the trolley-conductor and the other two for fastening it to the messenger-cables.

4. In a supporting structure for trolleyconductors, two side-'by-side messenger-cables and a triangular frame comprising two suspension-rods, a span-rod and clamps for removably fastening said parts together.

5. In a suspension structure for trolleyconductors, the combination with two messenger-cables located side by side and at approximately the same elevation, of a triangular frame comprising two suspension-rods, a span-rod, two-part clamps for fastening the messenger-cables, the suspension-rod and the tie-rods together, and a two-part clamp for fastening the meeting ends of the suspensionrods to the trolley-conductor.

6. In a suspension structure for trolleyconductors, two side-by-side messenger-cables and a triangular suspension-frame comprising two suspension-rods having their ower ends bent at approximately right angles to their lengths, a two-part clamp having L-shaped recesses to receive the bent ends of the suspension-rods, means for cl amping said members together and to the trolleyconductor, a span-rod having hook-shaped ends to receive the upper ends of the suspension-rods, and two-part clamps to receive the upper ends of the suspension-rods, the hook-shaped ends of the span-rod and the messenger-cables.

7. A hanger for a trolley-conductor comprising a clamp, hanger-rods diverging upwardly and outwardly therefrom, messenger-cable clamps having outer curved surfaces and having loose connection with said hanger-rods, and a tie-rod for said clamps.

8. A hanger for a conductor comprising a clamp, rods projecting upwardly and outprising hanger-rods, a tie-rod, a trolley-con ductor clamp and two messenger-cable clamps that connect said hanger-rods and said tie-rod and are angularly adjustable with reference thereto.

11. A hanger for suspended conductors comprising a clamp, hanger-rods, a tie-rod and messenger-cable clamps that connect said hanger-rods and said tie-rod and in which said rods are adjustable.

12. A triangular hanger for conductors havin a non-adjustable clamp at one apex and adjustable clamps at its other apicesi 13. A triangular hanger for conductors comprising side rods and apex-clamps, one for the conductor and two that are angularly adjustable to adapt the hanger to a messenger-wire having a catenary curve.

14. A hanger comprising two hanger-rods, a tie-rod, a conductor-clamp that joins adjacent ends of the hanger-rods, messengercable clamps that join the adjacent ends of the hanger-rods and the tie-rod, and means for adjusting each cable-clamp along either or both of said rods.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 14th day of J anu- I ary, 1905.

HARRY P. DAVIS. THEODORE VARNEY.

Witnesses:

F. H. SHEPARD, BIRNEY HINES. 

